Silence. Recovery. Trust.

The first week of Voice of Romni’s summer camp marked the beginning of a story that will unfold well into the end of summer. Eight more sessions lie ahead, but we already want to hold on to these precious moments and share them with you.

The participants of the first session left behind more than memories. These are moments of relief, honest conversations, laughter returning after long silence, and a sense of safety that, for many, was an entirely new experience. Dozens of stories that we’re certain marked the start of real change.

“It’s the first time in my life I’ve been somewhere so beautiful. The forest is my dream — even the sea doesn’t move me the way the forest does. We don’t have to hide here. In the middle of the night, I don’t have to wake my child to run to the hallway. We live in Zaporizhzhia now, but we fled the Zaporizhzhia region, from occupation. Here we truly get to rest, both physically and emotionally,” says camp participant Olena Polytska.

This space was created exactly for families like hers. Now in its fourth year, Voice of Romni has worked consistently to make sure recovery reaches those who need it most. This summer, with support from the International Rescue Committee, we were able to organize nine sessions reaching hundreds of families.

Among our participants are families of fallen and wounded servicemen, mothers raising children on their own, caregivers, Roma families, families with many children, internally displaced people, and those forced to live in temporary housing. Each of them carries their own pain — and all of them share the same need: to feel a moment of peace.

Alona Grom, Summer Camp Coordinator, shares that among the first session’s participants was a mother who had nearly given up on coming, since her husband’s leg had been amputated just the day before. But she decided to come anyway — she needed people who would understand and support her.

“We received so many applications to join us. These families simply need support, and someone to hold them,” says Alona.

Ahead of us are new sessions, new encounters, and new stories of recovery — which means hundreds more children and parents will get the chance, even for just a few days, to leave their anxiety behind and reclaim a sense of safety, support, and care.

The summer camp is part of the project “Comprehensive Support and Psychosocial Rehabilitation for Vulnerable Families in the Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Sumy Regions,” implemented by the NGO Association of Roma Women Voice of Romni with support from the International Rescue Committee.

@voice.of.romni 🌿 Тиша. Відновлення. Довіра. Перший тиждень літнього табору “Голосу Ромні” став початком великої історії, яка триватиме майже до кінця літа. Попереду ще вісім заїздів, але ми вже хочемо зберегти цінні миті і поділитися ними з вами. Вже четвертий рік «Голос Ромні» послідовно працює над тим, аби доступ до відновлення мали ті, хто цього найбільше потребує. Цього літа завдяки підтримці Міжнародного комітету порятунку (International Rescue Committee in Ukraine) нам вдалося організувати 9 заїздів, що охоплюють сотні сімей. 🙏🏼 Серед наших учасників та учасниць – родини загиблих і поранених військовослужбовців, мами, які виховують дітей самостійно, доглядальниці, ромські родини, багатодітні сім’ї, внутрішньо переміщені люди та ті, хто змушений жити у тимчасовому житлі. #ГолосРомні #літнітабори #сімейнітабори #відновлення ♬ оригінальний аудіозапис – Voice of Romni / Голос Ромні